I 've just found this photo of Step 1, it was painted before the one in the earlier post.
I am still a novice at impressionist style and often I find I want to neaten things or get distracted by details the more time I spend on a painting.
As I write this I have not yet finished the painting but I have done a little more and added a few changes to the path way.

I think I should get back to the palette knife as it stops the tendency to be so precious with detail
I started on a gessoed board and drew the main outlines to divide the tones with chalk blue pencil .
Choose a colour that will blend with colours you will use in your painting .I find charcoal makes the colours muddy.

Limiting your palette also keeps you on the straight and narrow, colours are naturally harmonious and you cant forget the colours you used that way!